Not So Bad After All
by Secrets of The Moonlit Night
Summary: William, King of the Grox, faces never-ending grief when his wife is lost to poisoning. Meanwhile, he finds two strange creatures, and they seem to be married. Ngeng, an Elett, comforts William, while Quch, her husband, is confined to bed. Will William ever love again? William is probably the glitchiest Grox there is; and Grox may not be as bad as they seem.
1. Lose One, Find Two

William squeezed his throne's arm, enraged. He slammed his three-fingered hand on the other arm, muttering and sometimes, even screaming in Grox. "What is the matter, your Horrifyingness?" His maid asked.

"My wife... SHE IS DEAD! My pain is as endless as those SPODE-WORSHIPPING IDIOTS! I CANNOT EVER FIND ANOTHER!" He shrieks, reeling with rage at the thought of his deceased wife.

The maid backed out of the throne room fearfully. The king put his head in his hands, tears streaming from his natural eye. William trudged to his bed chambers, tears dripping onto the red velvet carpet. He crawls onto his bed, crying himself to sleep. The next morning, William felt like he couldn't get up at all, so he slept late. When he did get up, he found a butler sitting in a chair, quietly folding towels. "G-o-ood morning. How are you?" William asked the butler.

"I'm fin-ne. You?" The butler asked him.

"Ver-ry sorr-r-rowful." William replied.

The butler looked at him sympathetically. William hopped out of bed and put his cloak on. He went into the hallway, his metal foot clanking against the cold marble floor. He saw something skitter across the floor in the shadows. He went to investigate. It was a tall, thin figure, much taller than himself. It was white and purple, with large black eyes, a flower atop its head, and a unicorn horn sticking out from under the flower. It had strange hands. They were like William's, but the fingers were much thinner and are webbed. Its feet make a _suck-suck-suck-suck _noise, so it must have suckers on its strange feet. The creature bled from a wound on its shoulder. "What happ-pened?" The king asked. "Attacked... by... pirates... species... gone... partner... outside... Grox... only... hope... for... survival... we... crash... nearby..."The creature said, moaning and howling in pain.

William paged a maid and physician. The maid helped the creature up, and carried it to a spare bedroom. He summoned a guard, who found the creature's partner and carried it to the bedroom next to the first creature. The physician patched both of them up, and let them rest. William looked at the two. He went into the first one's room and sat on the edge of the bedside. "Wh-hat is your s-sp-pecies c-a-alled?" He asked.

"Elett." The Elett replied.

"Wh-a-at's you-r name?" William inquired.

"I'm Quch, you?"

"Wil-liam."

Quch looked at him, puzzled.

He asked the second her name.

"I'm Ngeng, how about you?"

"Wi-illia-am."

Ngeng looked at him puzzled, but said nothing. William shut both of their doors. He started towards the dining room. He picked a bowl of fruit up off the table and carried it upstairs. He went into the Quch's room, and let him take a few fruits. Quch nodded his head in thanks. Ngeng did the same. William let them eat in peace, taking the fruits downstairs and putting them in the refrigerator. He went back upstairs, sitting on a bench by colum, and looked out the window. He began to weep, thinking about his wife. Ngeng got out of bed, she had no injuries, unlike her husband. She had just been knocked unconcious. She opened her door slowly, with a watchful eye. She knew he was Grox, and he could lash out and probably would eat her. Her husband, on the other hand, wasn't afraid. William looked in her direction, but he didn't say anything. He could probably smell her fear. Ngeng slowly walked toward him. His piercing stare didn't help. Suddenly, he turned away. Ngeng took a start. She began to ease herself towards him. When she reached the bench, she sat down next to Willliam. She embraced him, singing soothingly in Islorian. _Forget your sorrow, forget your strife, ahead is a much better life. Love is near, it's never far, someone's bound to catch you when you're fallin' hard. Misunderstood you are, but never forget, you are loved. _

William just looked at her, and burst into tears. He sobbed and the tears flowed. Ngeng rubbed his back. William embraced her back. "Even if you guys do have a bad rep, I still like you. Why do Grox have such a hard exterior?" Ngeng asked.

"W-well-l, ev-everyone ha-ates us, jus-s-st bec-because we-e're ha-a-l-lf machi-ine. Plu-us we-e h-a-ave v-er-y w-we-i-rd vo-ices, an-nd th-en, w-hen we-e-e we-re cr-e-eat-ures, e-ve-ry-one s-t-ole f-rom us. Yo-ou're th-ee o-nl-y o-ne-s th-a-at hav-v-en't... M-y-y wi-fe... sh-e-e die-ed... be-be-caus-e... sh-she wa-s-s p-poison-ed." William sobbed.

"Oh my Spode... That's horrible. I see why. Can-can you smell fear?" Ngeng asked.

"Ye-es, an-nnd it-it w-was co-om-ming o-off of y-you li-ike th-ee st-tink o-of de-eath."

"I was afraid you'd eat me."

"We e-eat cre-eatures. N-not civ-vilized peo-ople."

"That's comforting."

"My wi-ife w-a-as be-eaut-tifu-ul. Sh-h-he ha-ad lo-ong blo-onde ha-air, wh-hic-ch I al-alwa-ays admi-ired. Wo-omen do-on't ha-ave the-ese ma-ach-ine-par-rts, except for the torso armor. She always wore this long, flowy, blue dress. The Grox females are tall. About as tall as you, Ngeng. Her ears were short, wide, and fluffy. SHE was fluffy. About as fluffy as a kiwi bird. Speaking of, come here. I want to show you my little kiwi bird. I ke-ep it in hon-n-or o-of he-er."

illiam led her into a small room. Inside, there was a little kiwi bird. It was in a very large cage, which consumed half the room. There, the kiwi had friends, and it was in a natural setting. "They're adorable." Ngeng said.

"Ye-es, the-ey ar-are. I h-a-ad...a-an... an-anger... fi-fit... yes-yesterday. I w-a-as m-a-ad m-y-y wonder-er-ful, bea-a-utiful wi-ife h-a-ad be-e-e-e-en ta-aken fro-om m-e-e. Gr-grief i-is a ha-a-rd th-thing." William responded.

Ngeng nodded. "I understand. I lost my mother when I was n-nine. I was angry, as well as my father." Ngeng said, beginning to weep. William took her up in his arms and stroked her wings gently. "Tho-ose win-ngs mu-ust b-be re-eally n-nice." He said.


	2. Bawling

William's hand rested gently on Ngeng's shoulder. "I-I kno-ow i-it's ha-a-rd." He said.

Ngeng sobbed. She found little comfort in William's words. William thought of something his wife had once said. _"Darling don't be afraid, I've loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more." _

Ngeng looked at William, and he was bawling. Ngeng gently picked him up, as if he were just a child and carried him into his bedchambers, setting him down on the bed. She watched his robotic fish dart around its tank. Ngeng went back to her bedroom, and she sat on her bed, thinking of William's grief. Real men showed their pain. So, in her eyes, he was the manliest man that ever lived. Meanwhile, William continued to bawl. While doing so, he was curled up in a ball. Ngeng felt guilty for just leaving him there, so she went back in his room. Even though the horrid noise was unbearable, Ngeng didn't mind. She just picked him up, and stroked his head. His bawling rang throughout the castle, it was so loud. And when the king wasn't happy, nobody was. And on this particular day, everybody in the Grox empire wasn't happy. In a terraform bubble, there was a small blue and green creature who was very dragon-like. It was named Dawn, and Dawn was another of William's pets. Dawn was unusual in that she could speak. "Master, I'm sorry about your wife." She said.

William nodded. For a second, all was quiet. Then, he started bawling again. Ngeng pulled him close to her chest. Suddenly, William stopped bawling. His breathing returned to normal, albeit a few hitches. He had fallen asleep. Ngeng knew he'd been bawling for an hour, which probably exhausted him. William snored, which kind of concerned Ngeng. Ngeng shook William a bit. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" He asked grumpily.

"Y-you're snoring, not good." Ngeng answered.

"That isn't good." William said.

"No, it's not." Dawn told him.

William sent for a sleep specialist and the specialist confirmed their fears. William would need a C-PAP machine.


	3. Murdered

William patted Ngeng's back. "I-it's al-l-l-l-right sweethe-art." Quch's stitches had popped out of his wound and he had bled profusely until he died from it. William glared at the nurse that supposedly had loosened Quch's stitches. "Yo-u're go-oing to pa-a-a-ay fo-r wha-a-a-at y-o-o-ou di-i-d." He said to her.

"But sir,-" She was cut off by William's harsh shriek.

"BUT N-O-O-O-THING."

Ngeng snarled and Dawn hissed. One of the maids claimed she had checked on Quch and caught the nurse red-handed. William could tell if they were lying by the looks on their faces. "Don't lie to me." He said to the nurse, who swore she didn't do it.

"OF-F-F WITH YO-OUR HE-E-EAD!" William shouted.

The guards dragged her off to the prison. "Wow. You can be violent if you want to." Ngeng said.

William nodded. "I don't really like the name my parents gave me." Ngeng voiced.

"We-ll, we co-o-o-uld cha-a-ange it. Ho-o-ow abo-o-out Candice? Th-at ha-s a n-n-nice ri-ing to it." William told her.

"It does." Ngeng responded.

From then on, Ngeng was known as Candice. She started to cry. "He's gone, dead, kaput, kicked the bucket, dead as a doornail, pushing up daisies, six feet under, perished, murdered, slain-" William cut her off.

"Wi-i-th God?" He finished.

Candice nodded and sniffled. Suddenly, her beak dropped. "Whoa! What-what's that?" She asked.

She saw something looming behind William. "Wha-t's wh-h-hat?" He asked.

Suddenly, William whipped around and slammed into something with his metal arm. Candice glanced over his shoulder. "Oh my God, it's the Islorian leader!" On the floor, a creature much like Candice scrabbled to get up.

"Well, hello to you too, Mister Nervy!" Said the leader.

"So-orry, I'v-ve j-ust bee-n edgy late-ly." William apologized.

"That's alright, I shouldn't have snuck up anyway. My name's King Sargh of Islori." Stated Sargh.

"An-nd, wh-a-at brings y-o-ou her-r-r-re, Sar-r-r-rgh?" William asked.

"Well, I came to retrieve my daughter and her husband." Sargh said.

"Her hu-sband is de-e-ead, s-o-o-o is my wi-i-i-fe." William stated matter-of-factly, but not without tearing up.

"What happened?" Sargh asked.

"He wa-as murd-d-dered." William replied.

Sargh said nothing, but a shocked look crossed his face. "Dad, I-I want to stay here. It's really nice... and-and William needs me. He's lonely and grieving. Living on top of the heap is lonely without a friend. And when you lose your best friend... Even lonelier." Candice said.

"But, Ngeng..." Her father plead.

"My name's not Ngeng. It's Candice." Candice said sharply.

"Has he brainwashed you?" Sargh was convinced she was.

"No, father." Candice replied.

"But..." Sargh protested.

"Father... It's best if I stay here. I'm 25." Candice was serious.

"Princess... Your mother and I..." Sargh was almost begging.

"No, but I promise you one thing. I'll write you letters." Candice negotiated.

"Oh, alright. Promise you'll write me every week?" Sargh asked.

"Of course, father." Candice responded.

Sargh walked out, satisfied. William rolled his eye. "Overprote-c-c-ctive." He muttered.

"True." Candice replied.


	4. The First Letter Home

Candice picked up the pen. It was fit especially for her. Her beautiful strokes waved across the paper. _Father, my week went wonderfully. I hope yours did too. William has frequently broke down, but since Quch died I understand his pain. To be quite honest, I feel he loves me but is afraid to admit it, and I hope he heals before he admits it. You know, I'm starting to like him too. I hope if he admits he loves me you'd accept it. I know you're... finnicky about the guys I date, but he's a good candidate. He seems to have learned my habits by heart. Like me keeping my mouth open. Speaking of, I'm doing that right now. I was about to drool all over the paper, and you know how unlady-like that is. He helps me keep from my habits, like shutting my mouth when I keep it open, and making me check my facts first. I'm not as gullible as I used to be. At least I don't have to worry about brushing my teeth, as I don't have any, like he does. But, he is absolutely SPOILING me! Don't worry. I'm always thankful and gracious, as I was raised. _

_Love, _

_Your Daughter Candice (Ngeng)_

Candice licked the envelope and sealed it closed. She gave it to the maid, who put it in the mailbox. William knocked. "May I come in?" He asked.

"Of course." Candice replied.

William entered the room. "Did you remember this week's letter?" He asked.

"Of course, what makes you think I'd forget?" Candice asked another question in response.

"Oh, just asking." William answered.

Candice nodded. She fluffed her dress a bit. It was almost purely feathers and silk. "So, do you like the new dress?" William asked.

"I love it. It's so comfortable." Candice replied.

William nodded. He walked to his bed chambers, changed into his pajamas, and crawled into bed.


	5. The Diamond Bracelet

William nodded off. He hadn't slept well, neither did Candice. Something was making him uneasy. Suddenly, Candice fainted. William heard the distant crash, and rushed to Candice's bedroom. He picked up the delicate figure and set her down gently on the bed. Her head lolled. Unexpectedly, she sneezed. "Bless you." William murmured.

"Thank you." Candice muttered.

"Sire, a letter and package for the princess." A butler dropped off the letter and package on Candice's desk.

"Cand-ice. He-y. There's some-thing h-ere f-or y-ou." William nudged Candice.

"One more minute, dad!" Candice said, obviously confused.

She blinked and yawned. "Hey, where- Oh, yeah! There's a letter... And a package!" Candice exclaimed.

She tore open the package. Inside, there was a diamond bracelet. Then, she read the letter. _Dearest daughter, I hope you like your gift. I am glad you did not come home, for we are at war. Request a few ships be sent by William. You have my blessing. Otherwise, I am doing well. I love you. Make sure you always do as I taught you, and have a good time. I miss you._

_Yours truly,_

_King Sargh the Courageous, and your father. _

Candice smiled. Her father had always treated her well. She put the diamond bracelet on and showed it to William. "I love it." He said. He examined it. "My kingdom's at war, and father wanted you to send a fleet of ships." Candice requested.

"I will d-do s-o im-mediately." William granted. He went off to the throne room to send the fleet of ships.

Candice grinned. But, as soon as she thought of Quch, she started to cry. William went back to her room to confirm the sending of the fleet, but found her weeping. He just sat on the bed with her, consoling her and embracing her. "Quch is gone. I just can't believe it. " Candice wails.

"Don't wor-ry sweetheart... Wi-lliam's her-e fo-r yo-u."


	6. First Date and a Robotic Cat

Candice sneezed and wiped her nose with a tissue. Even though she was much better, she still had the sniffles. She glode across the floor as if she was floating. William watched her as she made her way downstairs. She wore a long dress of teal chiffon and silk, with a bow around the back. _I'm so nervous. _She thinks.

William hummed to himself, he was quite nervous as well. Candice trodded towards the dining room and finally reached it. She sat next to William, who sat at the head of the table. Candice was _nervous_, but she smiled anyway. She dressed her salad and began to eat it. She relaxed a little and her shoulders slumped a little bit. When she finished, she began to converse and relax a little more. William wrapped his arms around her middle. "You know you are a really nice person." William said.

"Thanks." Candice replied.

She walked back up to her bedroom and pulled her dress off, changing into pajamas. They were comfortable cotton pajamas, quite like her bed linens. She pulled the covers over her and fell asleep quickly. It wasn't the same for William. He was having trouble sleeping. He tossed and turned to no avail. He looked outside the window to the two crescent moons hanging in the sky. FInally, he sarted dozing off, and eventually fell asleep. The next morning, William was tired. Candice was the exact opposite. She went downstairs in her pajamas to get breakfast, which consisted of fruit. All she ever ate was fruit. She peeled a banana and nibbled at it. She soon finished it and threw the peel away. William fastened his cloak around his neck and started downstairs. "Th-e us-ual, sir?" A butler asked.

"Yes." William replied.

Candice dug through a bag full of stuff and drew out her headphones and mp3. She put the headphones on and listened to Ethereal Dreams Chill Mix. William watched her descend the stairs. Candice began to dance slowly when she hit the floor. She danced fluidly, as if she were made of jello. As the tempo slowed, so did she. She pulled William close and he danced with her. There came a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Candice volunteered.

She opened the door. "Kendra?" She asked.

Kendra nodded. "You wanna see Sephtali? I have to warn you, she's not pretty." Candice offered, warning her as well. Kendra followed. As Kendra expected, Sephtali wasn't herself. She was covered in bandages, burns, and hooked up to many machines. William winced. Candice said,"She's not getting any better. William, I want her conciousness transferred to a robot. Yes, you heard me, a ROBOT."

"A-lright. We ha-ave a pro-oject st-till in the be-ta st-tages th-a-at all-lows us to tra-a-ansfer the co-oncio-usness of th-e-e dy-ying an-d rec-cently de-ead to artificial intel-l-ligence mac-hines. It may or m-ay n-not wo-ork. W-h-ho knows. We ne-ed a te-est sub-ject, an-nd Sephtali's a go-o-o-od cand-didate."

Candice nodded. "Alright." She consented. Sephtali was under heavy sedative and she didn't feel a thing. When the transfer finished, she was a small robotic cat with icy blue eyes and long, silvery fur. Candice picked her up. "We ne-ed to do te-ests on he-e-er." One of the scientists said. 

Candice reluctantly handed her to the scientist and sighed. "I love you, William." She murmured.

"W-hat wa-as th-at?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all." Candice replied.

He stood there for a moment. "I lo-ve yo-o-u too."

Candice picked him up and hugged him. He smiled and hugged her back. "Do you want to go out on another date?" He asked.

"Of course." Candice replied.

A/N: I believe credit is due to Valve for the conciousness transfer idea.


	7. An Earthquake and A Found Brother

William straightened his bowtie and Candice slipped on her black and white silk dress and white pumps. "I need another story, somethin' to get off my chest, my life gets kinda boring, somethin' I can't confess, til' my sleeves are stained red, with all of the truth that I've said." She sang.

_What is that beautiful sound? _William thought.

He wandered the upstairs until the source was revealed. "Candice? W-was th-at you?" He asked.

Candice modestly nodded. "You're beau-tiful, yo-ou kn-ow t-that?" William told Candice.

Candice nodded shyly again. She let William take her by the hand and lead her outside. "L-look at th-e-e night s-ky, my de-ear. Wh-at do y-you se-e-e?" William asks.

"I see stars. But I do see 2 moons as well. I see the constellation Canis, the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and hey! That looks like us!" Candice pointed to an arrangement of stars that did look suprisingly like William and Candice holding hands.

"Whoa..." William looked up at the sky in amazement.

Candice pulled William up and they went inside to eat dinner. Candice had her typical dinner, and William had his. Rain began to pour hard, and a thunderclap shook the sturdy castle. Candice had fallen out of her seat, and was scrabbling to get up. She got in her chair and started to eat again. Rain was pounding against the roof, and Candice clung to William. William pulled her closer. Candice decided she'd sleep with Sephtali tonight. Candice finished her dinner, and went upstairs. She came back down in her swimsuit, and treaded down the rest of the stairs, heading towards the swimming pool in the basement. She climbed up onto the diving board and dove in headfirst. The momentum carried her to the bottom of the pool, and she swam back up to see William sticking his feet in the pool. Candice pulled him in. He spat out the water and began to swim. "Ra-a-ce you!" He exclaimed.

Candice quickly beat him. Her duck-like beak made for an awkward kiss on the cheek. William floated on top of the water, and looked up at the ceiling. "I d-d-d-on't g-g-g-get it." He mumbled.

Sephtali stood by the edge of the pool. "Don't get what?" She asked.

"L-i-ife." William pulled himself out of the pool and sat on the edge.

WIlliam started to sob. He had kept it in all these weeks, should he not let it go? He dove into the pool and swam towards the bottom. He sat there for a moment, and started toward the tunnel on the bottom of the pool. Sephtali had been waterproofed, so she dove in after him. She reached the tunnel and swam into it. At the end of the tunnel, there was a sharp turn upwards, so she curved her body straight vertical, and let herself float to the top. William was there, sitting next to a statue of his late father, mother, and brother. "I wish you were here, little Prince Rodney. It's lonely." Sephtali sat next to William.

"Maybe I am here." Rodney stood over William.

William's heart stopped for a moment. He looked up. "Rodney! Yo-o-u've be-e-en mi-i-ssing f-fo-o-r te-e-en years! Wh-e-e-ere ha-a-a-ve y-you BEEN?" William asked, furious.

"I was kid-napped. My captor cla-imed he had me gone after a week, but really, I was still suffering. After ni-ne years, I tried to contact home. But, as you kno-w, you cannot fly a spaceship until you're twenty. I sear-ched for six months until I found home." Rodney explained.

"God, I d-don't kn-ow h-how to s-s-ay t-this... I mis-s-s-s-sed y-you." William embraced Rodney and Rodney embraced him.

"I w-a-as married fo-or si-i-x ye-ears, b-but my w-i-ife, sh-e di-ied." William started to lament.

Rodney dove into the tunnel, they all did. They swam to the surface, and William motioned for Rodney to follow. They once again dove under, and this time went into the underwater cave. Candice was sleeping on the shelf. "Sh-e's really n-ice. Defin-ition of tr-ue friend." The creature of discussion blinked and sat up.

"I think I need glasses, because I see two of you, William." Candice mumbled.

"E-errr... N-no. Th-is is my y-ounge-r bro-ther Rodney." William responded.

"Oh, okay... Glad I don't need glasses." Candice let out a sigh of relief.

She dove into the water and was gone within a second. William and Rodney followed. Candice let herself sink to the bottom. She laid there for a moment and thought, watching as a lonely bubble floated to the top. She swam upwards and when she hit the surface, was greeted by a splash in the face from William and Rodney. She giggled and spat out the water. There was a rumbling noise that shook the castle. "What in God's name was that?!" Candice exclaimed.

"I d-o-n't kn-ow..." William was unsure.

Dawn was panicking. She had no idea what was going on, and she didn't want to know. She sprinted downstairs as fast as she could, and jumped into the pool. They all crawled out and ran upstairs, dripping wet. The butlers and maids were panicking and running around. They had no clue what to do, neither did the soaking wet gang of two normalities and three oddities. Candice's suckers tingled. "Something bad's happening. I can feel it in my foot suckers."

"Uh... No duh." Sephtali rolled her eyes.

Cracks began to form in the earth outside of the castle as it shook. Things fell off of walls and off of pedestals. Rodney grabbed a vase about to fall over, Candice grabbed a framed family portrait, and William snatched another vase off of its pedestal before it fell. Candice started praying fervently and William curled into a ball. Rodney shook so badly he was frozen in place. Suddenly, the shaking stopped, but the damage was done. Many things were still intact, but a few were broken. There was a broken vase, and slight cracks in the floor surrounding the pool and in the pool, so it was drained and the cracks repaired. Anything and everything broken was repaired or completely replaced. "Willliam, hon, I think you might want to see something." Candice grabbed his hand and led him onto the repaired balcony.

Candice frowned. There were a few things destroyed, but otherwise the city was still intact. Within hours, repairs began. There was a lunar eclipse that night, Candice and William watched as one of the two moons was hid, and then the other. Candice curled up beside William and fell asleep. William absent-mindedly began stroking Candice's head. Candice curled up even closer. "I love y-you, sw-eeth-eart." William murmured.

Rodney went into the bedchamber to the left of William's. It had been his before he went missing. Nothing had changed. There was still a mess of little action figures scattered across the floor, and the bed was still unmade. He cleaned up and crawled into bed. William carried Candice's thin and delicate figure inside, and set her down gently in bed. He laid down next to her and covered up. The next morning, Candice awoke to find William next to her. "He slept with me last night." She murmured, smiling.

William sat up and stretched. "How di-d y-you slee-p l-l-a-s-t ni-ght?" He asked.

Candice replied,"Good."

A scientist rushed out of the lab. William ran down the stairs, metal foot clanking. Rodney sleepily emerged from his room. "Wh-at's g-o-i-n-g on?" William asked the scientist.

"We've had a break-through, si-re! We ca-n no-w ma-ke our spe-cies ab-out the Princess's si-ze and taller!" The scientist responded.

William and Candice's jaws dropped simultaneously. "Are you serious, my good man?" Candice asked.

"Yes! Ve-ry seri-ous!" William followed the scientist.

About an hour later, William came back taller, and more muscular than he once had been. Candice was five feet four inches, William was now five feet eleven inches. Candice kissed him on the cheek and looked up at him. She dragged him downstairs and dove into the pool. He followed suit. Candice looked behind her, but soon William had caught up. They both laughed.


End file.
